Allowed wood types
 

1) When you specify "plywood up to 3/4 inch", MUST it be plywood, or may we please use other wood such as a pine or hardwood board?

For small pieces, any solid wood is definitely preferable over plywood. We need to make a small part out of wood, and small pieces of plywood tend to shatter and split easily, especially if you try to drill it on an edge.

2) Would you consider allowing DOWELS of wood (or Plexiglas)?

IMHO, a reasonable thing would be to allow that up to the same size as the flat stock of the same type (3/4" wood, 1/4" for lexan). That would be cheap, consistent with other materials & glues, and cover a good range for "round things" between the allowed 1/4" rod and pipe. (We need a small round piece of something like wood or plastic for a widget, and the size ranges of the other things aren't optimum.)

I guess we're REALLY just trying to avoid spending time sanding square slices of wood or lexan round (or worse, cutting out a pile of tiny disks out of flat stock and gluing them all together ;-) if we don't have to, just to make things like a 30 cent dowel stick! <GRIN>

Thanks!
- Keith McClary, Huron High Team 830

Keith,
Question #1) Can you use solid wood instead of plywood? I need to talk to Martus and find out what we have ruled in past years on this (I know its come up in previous CDI's) I'll get back to you.
Question #2) - Are dowels allowed? You have me confused on what you are calling dowels. ROD (cylindrical)? or Biscuits (flat oval shaped)? Sounds like you are talking about biscuits but then at the end you say "dowel stick"
You also state, "We need a small round piece of something like wood or plastic for a widget". Are you asking about a widget made of solid wood (not plywood)? Is this related to the 1st or 2nd question?

dowels and biscuts
 

>You have me confused on what you are calling dowels. ROD (cylindrical)? or Biscuits (flat oval shaped)?

By dowel I mean a chunk of cylindrical rod, not a flat biscuit.

> Are you asking about a widget made of solid wood (not plywood)?

Yes, and it is round, but it will be within the same 3/4" max thickness specification, per piece.
That's why we're especially interested in dowels.

> Is this related to the 1st or 2nd question?

Both. If premade dowels are not allowed, it is very tough to make a reliable one out of plywood.

Thanks!
- Keith McClary, Huron High Team 830

After checking out our response from previous years and discussing it among ourselves, we have decided that the rules related to using plywood stand "as is". No solid hardwood this year, its too late into the build cycle to change these rules and still make it fair to everyone. We have noted it and will re-evaluate this item for next years competition.

Thanks!
 

OK. I'm sure we'll figure out something else then. <grin>

Thanks!

- Keith McClary, Huron High Team 830